Snow, high winds and blowing snow produced blizzard conditions across the Palmer Divide and northeast plains. Peak wind gusts from 50 mph to 66 mph were observed.
Every event with a place to put it; 12 filed by county or forecast zone are drawn at its center, in a lighter ring. Tap one for its entry below.
Deaths and injuries are direct and indirect together, as the offices filed them. Damage is property and crops in the dollars of the year, not adjusted for inflation, and only where an office estimated it.
The episode as NWS BOU wrote it up.
Snow, high winds and blowing snow produced blizzard conditions across the Palmer Divide and northeast plains. Peak wind gusts from 50 mph to 66 mph were observed. Storm totals anywhere from 5 to 12.5 inches occurred in and near the Palmer Divide and over the far northeast plains, with 1 to 4 inches elsewhere. Snow drifts up to 18 inches deep were reported. Numerous roads and highways were closed including: Interstate 70 east of Denver, US-6, US-24, US34 (from Brush to the Nebraska state line), US-36 (from Last Chance to the Kansas state line), US-385, as well as several other smaller county roadways. Peak wind gusts included: 66 mph, 8 miles north-northwest of Boyero, 64 mph at Denver International Airport, 63 mph Pawnee Buttes, 61 mph at Limon Municipal Airport, 60 mph near Agate and Cedar Point, and 58 mph near Bennett.
The local office's own words before the first event, as it sent them, from the Iowa Environmental Mesonet's archive of National Weather Service text.
NWS Denver/Boulder, CO wrote its last area forecast discussion before the first event at Dec 25, 3:03 PM MST, 1 hour 57 minutes earlier. Its key messages:
Area Forecast Discussion National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 303 PM MST Mon Dec 25 2023 .KEY MESSAGES... - Blizzard conditions, very difficult travel expected tonight through Wednesday for portions of east/northeast plains. - Strong north winds will be widespread in the plains starting tonight with blowing dust possible outside of areas that don't receive snow. - Quieter and milder conditions later this week. && .SHORT TERM...(This evening through Tuesday) Issued at 240 PM MST Mon Dec 25 2023 Strong intensifying closed low pressure seen across central Kansas this afternoon. So far, there is an increase in mid level moisture but low levels are extremely dry, with surface dewpoints in the single digits. As the low wobbles northeastward tonight, wraparound moisture increases and advects further southwestward across the northeast plains tonight. This should bring deeper low level moisture back across the plains from later this evening as snow already falling just east of the border areas. In addition strong winds developing on the back side with 700mb winds increasing to 50-60kt for tonight and Tuesday. With low level mixing expect surface winds to increase to 60 mph especially over northern border areas with Wyoming and Nebraska and then further south over the Palmer Divide region over Elbert and Lincoln counties. The snow coupled with the wind will lead to blizzard conditions developing later tonight and Tuesday morning. Given the very strong winds coming off the CYS ridge, this will result in a strong downslope component with mainly dry conditons over the urban corridor north of Denver and especially over northern Weld and northern Larimer counties. So it will be a tale of 2 weather stories, one with the wind over northern counties, and then one snow and blizzard over southern counties and along the I-70 corridor for locations east of Denver towards the Kansas border. Travelers should be prepared for winter driving conditions and possible road closures east of Denver over Interstate 76 and Interstate 25. .LONG TERM...(Tuesday night through Monday) Issued at 245 PM MST Mon Dec 25 2023 Models are still showing a strong upper closed low over the northeast corner of Kansas at 00Z Wednesday. The models still show some residual wrap around moisture and even some QPF for the CWA Tuesday night and even into Wednesday morning for the far northeast corner. The strong northwesterly surface winds will linger over the plains Tuesday night into Wednesday morning as well. Will keep/go with the High Wind and Blizzard Warnings for the plains Tuesday night until 12Z Wednesday morning. On Wednesday and Wednesday night, fairly strong northwesterly flow aloft will move into the CWA from the west as the upper low moves eastward. On Thursday and Thursday night, upper ridging pushes in. The weather will be dry and temperatures will warm to seasonal normals once again. For the later days, Friday through Monday, models keep upper ridging over the CWA through Saturday night with a weakening upper trough to get into the Desert Southwest Sunday. Then more upper ridging for Fix this......Monday. Models point to an increase in moisture and some minor QPF with the trough on Sunday, mainly in the mountains. Otherwise, dry weather is expected for the later days, with temperatures a tad above seasonal normals. && .AVIATION...(For the 18Z TAFS through 18Z Tuesday morning) Issued at 1150 AM MST Mon Dec 25 2023 VFR conditions today with increasing mid level moisture. Winds will be increasing from the north this afternoon with speeds of 15 to 25kt. For tonight, north winds may lighten up for a few hours this evening before increasing after midnight. North winds of 20 to 25 mph will be possible by 09z with a few gusts to 40 mph thru 12z. After 12z north winds may increase to 25 to 35 mph with gusts up to 50 mph through 18z. Ceilings will drop down to 5000-6000 ft by 09z with a slight chc of light snow after 12Z. && .BOU WATCHES/WARNINGS/ADVISORIES... High Wind Warning from 9 PM this evening to midnight MST Tuesday night for COZ038-042-044-048. Blizzard Warning from 2 AM Tuesday to 5 AM MST Wednesday for COZ041-045. Blizzard Warning from 11 PM this evening to 5 AM MST Wednesday for COZ046-049. High Wind Warning from 11 PM this evening to midnight MST Tuesday night for COZ047. Blizzard Warning until 5 AM MST Wednesday for COZ050-051. && SHORT TERM...Entrekin LONG TERM....RJK AVIATION.....Entrekin
Hazardous Weather Outlook National Weather Service Denver/Boulder CO 1104 AM MST Mon Dec 25 2023 COZ030>051-261815- Jackson County Below 9000 Feet- West Jackson and West Grand Counties Above 9000 Feet- Grand and Summit Counties Below 9000 Feet- South and East Jackson/Larimer/North and Northeast Grand/ Northwest Boulder Counties Above 9000 Feet- South and Southeast Grand/West Central and Southwest Boulder/ Gilpin/Clear Creek/Summit/North and West Park Counties Above 9000 Feet-Larimer and Boulder Counties Between 6000 and 9000 Feet- Jefferson and West Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet/Gilpin/Clear Creek/Northeast Park Counties Below 9000 Feet- Central and Southeast Park County- Larimer County Below 6000 Feet/Northwest Weld County- Boulder And Jefferson Counties Below 6000 Feet/West Broomfield County- North Douglas County Below 6000 Feet/Denver/West Adams and Arapahoe Counties/East Broomfield County- Elbert/Central and East Douglas Counties Above 6000 Feet- Northeast Weld County-Central and South Weld County-Morgan County- Central and East Adams and Arapahoe Counties- North and Northeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/North Lincoln County- Southeast Elbert County Below 6000 Feet/South Lincoln County- Logan County-Washington County-Sedgwick County-Phillips County- 1104 AM MST Mon Dec 25 2023 ...INCOMING WINTER WEATHER OVER THE PLAINS... The Hazardous weather outlook is for northeast and north central Colorado. .DAY ONE...Today and Tonight A storm system will intensify over the central US. This system will bring snow to the far northeast plains by early evening which will spread south southwest towards the Palmer Divide late tonight. In addition, strong winds will develop overnight with wind gusts up to 60 mph in some areas. This combined with falling snow will lead to blizzard conditions from northern Lincoln county through Washington county into Phillips and Sedgwick counties. Outside of the snow areas, blowing dust may cause reduced visibility in some areas a well. .DAYS TWO THROUGH SEVEN...Tuesday through Sunday The eastern plains can expect snow and strong gusty winds of 40 to 55 mph on Tuesday into Wednesday morning. Widespread blowing snow will cause blizzard conditions in Sedgwick, Phillips, Washington and northern Lincoln Counties. Avoid travel in these areas into Wednesday morning as driving will be dangerous. Snow showers and breezy winds may also create slick conditions and blowing snow at times in the northern mountains and for the Palmer Divide into Elbert County Tuesday into Wednesday. From later Wednesday into the weekend, the weather will mainly be dry with just a few light snow showers over the higher mountains. Temperatures look to be near seasonal normals or a tad warmer. .SPOTTER INFORMATION STATEMENT... Spotter activation will not be needed today or tonight but snowfall and high wind reports would be appreciated.
The national radar mosaic for the moment the first event began.
6 blizzard, 4 high wind, 2 winter weather. Local standard time, as filed.
Storm totals included 5 inches near Fairfield and 4.5 inches near Marks Butte. Several roads and highways were closed.
Storm totals included 4.1 inches near Holyoke. Several roads and highways were closed.
Storm totals included: 10 inches near Cedar Point and Elizabeth, with 6 inches around Limon. Interstate 70 was closed in addition to numerous roads and highways.
Storm totals ranged from 3 to 5 inches. Numerous roads and highways were closed.
Storm totals included: 9.5 inches, 9 miles northeast of Ponderosa Park, 8 inches near Elizabeth, 7 inches near The Pinery, and 5 inches near Parker. Numerous roads and highways were closed.
Storm totals ranged from 8 to 10.5 inches around Foxfield. Interstate 70 was closed in addition to numerous roads and highways.
Strong winds with light to moderate snowfall occurred over the southern and eastern parts of metro Denver. Storm totals included 7.5 inches in southeast Aurora, 4 inches in east Denver, but just a trace of snow at Denver International Airport.
After NWS Directive 10-1605, the rules offices file Storm Data by.
Every storm in Colorado in 2023Every state in 2023This day in weather historyWarnings in Colorado, December 2023
NOAA National Centers for Environmental Information, Storm Events Database, compiled from the National Weather Service’s monthly Storm Data. Complete through 2026-06; NCEI adds each month about 75 days after it ends and revises past years a few times a year. Rebuilt 2026-09-24. Each event’s entry at NCEI: 1150850, 1150851, 1150864, 1150844, 1150852, 1150853, 1150845, 1150848, 1150849, 1150847, 1150855, 1150856.